


Black Lights, Battle City

by irisadler



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Background Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Laser Tag, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-23 00:14:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20000809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irisadler/pseuds/irisadler
Summary: The entire college friend group gathered to play laser tag for Simon's birthday. Everything was going more or less as expected, but then, an unexpected hero emerged.





	Black Lights, Battle City

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [sh_ficletinstruments](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/sh_ficletinstruments) collection. 



> Title (sort of) from [Bright Lights, Big City](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9xXchxodYg) by Jimmy Reed:  
>  _Bright lights, big city_  
>  _Gone to my baby's head_  
> 

Ragnor hissed in Magnus’ ear, making him jump. “What’s this called again?”

“ _Fuck,_ Ragnor! Don’t _do_ that!” Magnus whispered furiously, waving him back with a frantic hand. “And stay _back!_ ”

“I don’t see why,” Ragnor grumbled. “It’s not like this _matters…_ hopefully it’ll end soon. I want cake.”

“You and your sweet tooth,” Magnus groaned, rolling his eyes. “And it’s called laser tag, which you know only too well since you’ve asked _at least_ a dozen times. Besides, it’s Simon’s birthday, and this was his pick,” Magnus said, pointing a stern finger at Ragnor’s face, “so _shut up_ _and_ _shoot,_ Ragnor.”

Ragnor opened his mouth to reply, but Magnus spotted a neon glow over Ragnor’s shoulder and shoved him out of the way, firing wildly. Things devolved into outright chaos as Alec and Simon launched a coordinated attack. Magnus set his jaw and sent back a volley of shots that were more enthusiastic than deadly but gave them the chance to escape. Finally, Magnus decided they were far enough away to stop and regroup.

When he turned around, Magnus found Ragnor right behind him, like he’d expected but, to his surprise, Ragnor was looking around, suddenly alert and engaged in a way Magnus hadn’t seen from him since they headed into the dark of the blacklight arena.

“Ragnor?” Magnus whispered, confused.

“Shush,” Ragnor snapped. “Someone's coming.”

He was right.

Moments later, Maia rounded the corner, and Ragnor got off a shot before ducking around the corner and dragging Magnus with him, deeper into the maze. Magnus stumbled along behind him, dumbfounded.

“Wha-?” he started to ask, but then, Isabelle appeared in front of them and Ragnor honest-to-goodness _dove_ for cover. Magnus just stood there, staring after him for a second too long. It took the beep from his vest to shake him out of it.

Time blurred as they kept playing.

Separated in combat, Magnus only caught glimpses of Ragnor, but what he saw was nigh unbelievable. Ragnor looked like a man possessed, throwing himself into battle with a ferocity Magnus had never suspected. By all rights, it should’ve been ridiculous to see the fastidious Ragnor alternating between slinking about and popping up to lay down heavy fire accompanied by maniacal laughter, but Magnus was so stunned by this turn of events that he could hardly do much other than stare.

When all was said and done, the group congregated at the entrance, sweaty and grinning and feeling the thrill of it to their fingertips. Ragnor was quite the star, with everyone clapping him on the back and exclaiming over his unexpected enthusiasm.

Ragnor’s smugness only increased when the scoreboard showed decent hits and - somehow - _no_ deaths. Alec (their best marksman) protested loudly that Ragnor had _definitely_ been hit, but Magnus kissed him quiet so Ragnor could have his moment. They all exchanged amused glances and good-natured groans when Ragnor announced he thought they should play laser tag on _his_ birthday too.

“Fucking hell,” Magnus muttered. “We’ve created a monster…”


End file.
